FACT SHEET 4

FOR PROMOTING POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
A fact sheet to counter claims that corporal punishment does no harm

SONKE
GENDER
JUSTICE

Sonke Gender Justice is a non-

partisan, non-profit organisation,
established in 2006. Today, Sonke
has established a growing presence
on the African continent and
plays an active role internationally.
Sonke works to create the change
necessary for men, women, young
people and children to enjoy
equitable, healthy and happy
relationships that contribute to the
development of just and democratic
societies. Sonke pursues this goal
across Southern Africa by using a
human rights framework to build
the capacity of government, civil
society organisations and citizens
THE FACTS
to achieve gender equality, prevent
gender-based violence and reduce
There is a substantial body of research showing the THE MYTH
negative effects of corporal punishment on children, with
the spread of HIV and the impact of an increasing focus on the negative consequences of the
AIDS.
so-called ‘little smacks’. A 2002 study highlighted the “I got hidings
MenCare – A Global Fatherhood many harmful consequences of corporal punishment, and as a child; it
Campaign – is coordinated by clearly identified that corporal punishment has only one didn’t do me any
Promundo, Sonke Gender Justice positive outcome, and that this is a short-term benefit harm”.
(Sonke) and the MenEngage of immediate compliance.1 A growing body of research And
Alliance, as an effort to promote
findings indicate that corporal punishment has a range “Using corporal
men’s involvement as fathers and
as caregivers. It seeks to provide
of adverse neurological, physical, behavioural, cognitive, punishment in a
emotional and social development outcomes.2
support materials, messages, policy measured and
recommendations and research to loving was does
encourage local MenEngage partners,
A 2012 research paper which examined two decades of
research into corporal punishment from across the world more good than
NGOs, women’s rights organizations,
governments and UN partners to showed that:3 harm if you are
implement campaign activities in their an otherwise
• Numerous studies have found that physical punishment
settings. increases the risk of broad and enduring negative
loving parent”.
MenCare is conceived as a developmental outcomes, while no study has found And
complement to global and local that physical punishment enhances developmental “There is a
efforts to engage men and boys health (present author’s emphasis). big difference
in ending violence against women • Most child physical abuse occurs in the context of between
and girls. Together with efforts like punishment.
the White Ribbon Campaign, it is
child abuse
• A professional consensus is emerging that parents
part of the MenEngage Alliance’s and corporal
should be supported in learning nonviolent, effective
global vision to achieve equitable, approaches to discipline.
punishment
non-violent relationships and caring used to
visions of what it means to be men. The serious physical consequences of corporal discipline a
From a MenCare perspective, the punishment can include broken bones, internal injuries, child”.
prohibition of corporal punishment cuts and burns; in the worst cases, they lead to death.
in all settings, including the home, is
integral to efforts to create change
of this nature.
 FACT SHEET 4
FOR PROMOTING POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

Many South African children are harmed in the exercise of discipline in the home; a recent study on
child death confirms this.4 When angry and stressed parents lash out at their children because they
believe they have the right to physically punish them, great harm can be done. Childline S.A confirms
that many of the cases of child abuse brought to their attention involve corporal punishment that ‘got
out of hand’, an assertion supported by findings other countries.

In 2013, the Medical Research Council (MRC) found that 45% of all child homicide was child abuse-
and neglect-related, and estimated that 3 children are murdered per day in South Africa.5

Negative behavioural outcomes linked to corporal punishment include child aggression and antisocial
behaviour,6 as well as increased aggression, criminality and antisocial behaviour in adulthood,7 and an
increased risk of abusing their own child or spouse in adulthood or being the victim of abuse.8

Adverse emotional outcomes, including a decreased quality of relationship between parent and child,
have also been found.

There is clear research evidence that corporal punishment has a negative effect on intelligence and
cognitive functioning. For example, children in a West African school that used corporal punishment
performed significantly worse in tasks involving “executive functioning” and psychological processes
such as planning, abstract thinking, and delaying gratification than those in a school relying on milder
disciplinary measures such as time-outs.9

Child abuse has been shown to cause permanent damage to the neural structure and function of the
developing brain itself.10

In early childhood, the brain develops faster than any other organ in the body.11 This makes early
childhood a very sensitive and critical period in brain development. The stresses caused by pain and
fear of spanking can negatively affect the development and function of a child’s brain, derailing natural,
healthy brain growth and resulting in life-long and irreversible abnormalities.12 Also, physical punishment
can cause alterations in the dopaminergic regions associated with vulnerability to the abuse of drugs
and alcohol.13

References
1
Gershoff E. 2002. Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviour and experiences. Psychological Bulletin,
128(4) pp539-579.
2
Durrant J & Ensom R. 2012. Physical punishment of children: lessons from 20 years of research. Canadian Medical Association
Journal. 2012. DOI:10.1503/cmaj.101314.
3
Durrant & Ensom. 2012.
4
Mathews S, Abrahams N, Jewkes R & Martin L. 2013. Underreporting child abuse deaths: Experiences from a national study
on child homicide. South African Medical Journal, 2013, 103 (3):133.
5
Mathews S, Abrahams N, Jewkes R & Martin L. 2013.
6
See, for example, Mulvaney MK, Mebert CJ. Parental corporal punishment predicts behavior problems in early childhood. J
Fam Psychol 2007; 21:389-97; Slade EP, Wissow LS. Spanking in early childhood and later behaviour problems: a prospective
study of infants and young toddlers. Pediatrics 2004;113:1321-30; Taylor CA, Manganello JA, Lee SJ, et al. Mothers’ spanking
of 3-year-old children and subsequent risk of children’s aggressive behavior. Pediatrics 2010;125:e1087-1065; Grogan-Kaylor
A. The effect of corporal punishment on antisocial behavior in children. Soc Work Res 2004;28:153-62.
7
Gershoff. 2002
8
Gershoff. 2002
9
PHYSorg.com. 26 Jul 2011. Spare the rod and develop the child. Accessed at http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-07-rod-child-
non-corporal-discipline-aids.html
10
Teicher M. 2002. The Neurobiology of Child Abuse. Scientific American, March 2002, p70.
11 
Riak J. 2011. Plain talk about spanking. Alamo: Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education (PTAVE). Available at
www.nospank.net/pt2011ps.pdf.
12
Riak. 2011.
13 
Sheu Y-S, Polcan A, Anderson CM, et al. Harsh corporal punishment is associated with increased T2 relaxation time in
dopamine-rich regions. Neuroimage 2010;53:412-9.